Or afk of yonder argent fields above,
Why JOVE's Satellites are less than JOVE?
Of Systems possible, if 'tis confeft
That Wisdom infinite must form the best,
Where all must full or not coherent be,
And all that rises, rise in due degree;
Then, in the scale of reas'ning life, 'tis plain,
There must be, somewhere, such a rank as Man:
And all the question (wrangle e'er so long)
Is only this, if God has plac'd him wrong?

COMMENTARY.

45

50

VER. 43. Of Ssystems possible, &c.] So far the Poet's modest and fober Introduction; in which he truly observes, that no wisdom less than omniscient

"Can tell why Heav'n has made us as we are. Yet, though we be unable to discover the particular reasons for this mode of our existence, we may be assured in general that it is right. For now, entering upon his argument, he lays down this evident proposition as the foundation of his Thesis, which he reasonably supposes will be allowed him, That, of all possible systems, infinite wisdom hath formed the best ($ 43, 44.) From whence he draws two consequences:

1. The first (from $ 44 to 51.) is, that as the best system cannot but be such a one as hath no inconnected Void; such a one in which there is a perfect coherence and gradual subordination in all its parts; there muft needs be, in some part or other of the scale of reasoning life, such a creature as MAN: Which reduces the dispute to this abfurd question, Whether God has placed him wrong?

Respecting Man, whatever wrong we call,
May, must be right, as relative to all.
In human works, tho' labour'd on with pain,
A thousand movements scarce one purpose gain;
In God's, one single can its end produce;
Yet ferves to second too some other use.
So Man, who here seems principal alone,
Perhaps acts second to some sphere unknown,
Touches some wheel, or verges to some goal;
'Tis but a part we fee, and not a whole.

COMMENTARY.

55

60

VER. 51. Refpecting Man, &c.] It being shewn that MAN, the Subject of this enquiry, has a necessary place in fuch a system as this is confessed to be; and it being evident, that the abuse of Free-will, from whence proceeds all moral evil, is the certain effect of such a creature's existence; the next question will be, How these evils can be accounted for, consistently with the idea we have of God's moral attributes? Therefore,

2. The second confequence he draws from his principle, That of all poffible systems, infinite wisdom has formed the best, is, that whatever is wrong in our private system, is right as relative to the whole:

Respecting Man, whatever wrong we call,
May, must be right, as relative to ALL.

That it may, he proves (from $ 52 to 61.) by shewing in what confifts the difference between the systematic works of God, and those of Man; viz. that, in the latter, a thousand movements scarce gain one purpose; in the former, one movement gains many purposes. So that

-" Man, who here seems principal alone,

Perhaps acts fecond to fome sphere unknown.

When the proud steed shall know why Man reftrains
His firey course, or drives him o'er the plains;

When the dull Ox, why now he breaks the clod,
Is now a victim, and now Ægypt's God:

VARIATIONS.

In the former Editions y 64..

Now wears a garland an Ægyptian God.

altered as above for the reason given in the note.

COMMENTARY.

And acling thus, the appearance of wrong in the partial system may be right in the univerfal, For

'Tis but a part we fee, and not a whole. That it must, the whole body of this epiflle is employed to illuftrate and inforce. Thus partial Evil, is univerfal Good; and thus Providence is fairly acquitted.

VER. 61. When the proud fieed, &c.] From all this the Poet draws a general conclusion (from $ 60 to 9.) that, as what has been said is fufficient to vindicate the ways of Providence, Man should reft fubmiffive and content; and own every thing to be difpofed for the best; that to think of discovering the manner how God conducts this wonderful scheme to its completion, is as absurd as to imagine that the horse and ox shall ever be able to comprehend why they undergo fuch different treatment in the hand of Man; nay, that iuch knowledge, if communicated, would be even pernicious, and make us neglect or defert our Duty here. This he illuftrates by the case of the lamb, which is happy in not knowing the fate that attends it from the

NOTES.

VER. 64.-Egypt's God:] Called so, because the God Apis was worshiped univerfally over the whole land of Egypt.

Then shall Man's pride and dulness comprehend 65
His actions', paffions', being's, use and end;
Why doing, fuff'ring, check'd, impell'd; and why

This hour a flave, the next a deity,

Then say not Man's imperfect, Heav'n in fault; Say rather, Man's as perfect as he ought: His knowledge measur'd to his state and place; His time a moment, and a point his space. If to be perfect in a certain sphere,

70

What matter, foon or late, or here or there?

The blest to day is as completely fo,

75

As who began a thousand years ago.

III. Heav'n from all creatures hides the book of Fate, All but the page prescrib'd, their present state: From brutes what men, from men what spirits know: Or who could fuffer Being here below?

VARIATIONS.

After y 68. the following lines in the first Ed.
If to be perfect in a certain sphere,

What matters foon or late, or here or there?
The blest to-day is as completely fo

As who began ten thousand years ago.

COMMENTARY.

80

butcher; and from thence takes occafion to observe, that God is the equal master of all his creatures, and provides for the proper happiness of each and every of them.

The lamb thy riot dooms to bleed to-day,
Had he thy Reason, would he skip and play?
Pleas'd to the last, he crops the flow'ry food,
And licks the hand just rais'd to shed his blood.

Oh blindness to the future! kindly giv'n,
That each may fill the circle mark'd by Heav'n:
Who fees with equal eye, as God of all,

A hero perish, or a sparrow fall,
Atoms or systems into ruin hurl'd,

And now a bubble burst, and now a world.

Hope humbly then; with trembling pinions foar;

Wait the great teacher Death; and God adore.

VARIATIONS.

After y 88. in the MS.

No great, no little; 'tis as much decreed
That Virgil's Gnat should die as Cæfar bleed.

COMMENTARY.

VER. 91. Hope humbly then; &c.] But now an Objector is supposed to put in, and say, "You tell us indeed, that all things shall terminate in good; but we fee ourselves furrounded with present Evil; yet you forbid us all inquiry into the manner how we are to be extricated; and, in a word, leave us in a very disconsolate condition." Not so, replies the Poet you may reasonably, if you so please, receive much comfort from the HOPE of a happy futurity; a Hope implanted in the human breast by God himself for this very purpose, as an earnest of that Bliss, which, al

NOTES.

VER. 87. Who fees with equal eye, &c.] Matth. x. 29.